


Maybe Next Year

by Nishinoya4Yuu



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Drunken Confessions, Fluff, Honestly just so many New Years Tweets made me want to write a New Years fic., M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 05:57:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17258819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nishinoya4Yuu/pseuds/Nishinoya4Yuu
Summary: Maybe enough alcohol will give Nishinoya the courage he needs to finally tell Tanaka how he feels.





	Maybe Next Year

The beer was warm in his mouth and Noya’s alcohol addled brain vaguely questioned why he was doing this to himself. 

“30 minutes! Wooooooo!!” Tanaka cheered out next to him, face slightly red. Tanaka clamped an arm around Noya’s shoulders and started swaying back and forth. 

_Oh. Right._

Noya took another long gulp from his beer can and tried to ignore the warmth radiating off his best friend. 

_Ignore it. Ignore it._

Tanaka was warm and it was cold in their Sendai apartment. Nights in December were always cold in Sendai. Most nights Noya found himself either crawling under the kotatsu in their tiny living room or else tossing and turning on his futon all night imagining how nice it would be to snuggle up with his friend. In his muscular arms. Close to him and his warmth. 

_Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it._

Noya took another drink. Then he considered the fact that the beer honestly wasn’t enough to get him through this. “Yoooo Chikara! You brought whisky, right? Gimme!” Noya made grabby hands in the general direction of where Ennoshita sat, across the table. 

Ennoshita grabbed the bottle off the floor behind him set it on the table. He leveled Noya with his eyes and then asked, completely sober, “Are you sure?” 

Noya nodded. Ennoshita knew. Of course he did, he’d probably always known. Damn him. Always watching everything. 

Ennoshita nodded back and pushed the bottle across the table. Bless him for understanding this was a full bottle kind of situation and not a glass one. 

“If you pass out here, I guess I’ll carry you to bed,” Tanaka laughed heartily. 

_Don’t say it. Don’t say it._

“You could carry me to bed anytime,” Noya slurred. 

_Ahhhh fuck._

“Huh?” Tanaka asked, but he didn’t seem shocked or appalled. He probably didn’t hear. 

_It’s fine. You’ve got this Noya._

“I SAID!!” Noya practically yelled, “I won’t pass out, asshole!” He opened the bottle and took a swig. “I can hold my liquor just find, thank you very muuuuuuuuuch.” 

“Dude, you just said ‘just find,’ you sure about that?” Tanaka grinned down at him. Damn him and his alcohol tolerance. And his body heat.

Noya grinned back in defiance. “Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeee. Just finnnnnneeeee,” he obnoxiously drew out as he downed more from the bottle. 

“Who do you think’s going to win?” Ennoshita changed the subject as he nodded towards the TV where a group of actors dressed as characters from a popular online game were explaining how to vote. 

Tanaka said, “Red, definitely.” 

Noya had hardly even been paying attention to the program on the TV as the New Year had inched closer. He decided to be contrary just because he couldn’t stand Ryuu at the moment. “Naaaaaah. It’ll be White for sure. They were way better. They had those...that dance. With the swords...the….them,” Noya pointed at the screen. 

Ennoshita laughed, “They were just a special performance, they don’t count. Besides, you just liked the swords.” 

Noya hit the bottle again and hated how whiny his voice sounded when he said, “Soooo? Swords are cool!” He focused on the group on the TV and then added, “Plus that one in the back with the muscles is hot.” 

Tanaka and Ennoshita both laughed at him now. 

“Which one?” Tanaka asked, playfully. 

It pissed Noya off. “I dunno. All of them. No, wait...the monk one. I like his hair.” 

Tanaka’s eyebrow quirked, “Orange? Actually orange hair sounds cool maybe I should dye….” 

Noya rammed his full body weight into Tanaka’s side at that comment and they both fell over, Noya landing on top.  
Tanaka seemed shocked, but managed to back pedal, “Or not. Not is good too. Work probably wouldn’t like it anyway.” He let out a nervous sounding laugh. 

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck_. 

Noya knew he was kind of an angry drunk and that he really shouldn’t have had so much so fast. He was taking things out on Tanaka just for existing, for being there. For looking so...damn...good….

_Get off of Tanaka. Get off of Tanaka_. 

Noya scurried off of where he had fallen on top of his friend and sat himself back upright at the kotatsu. 

Ennoshita calmly broke in again, diffusing the situation, “Noya was right. White Team won! Only 15 minutes left.” 

Tanaka pushed himself back up and settled back into place next to Noya. 

“Awwww man. I really thought the Red Team was better,” Tanaka lamented. 

Ennoshita disagreed, “Nah, White totally had this. Anyway, are you guys going to visit the shrine in the morning?” 

“Morning?” Noya glared at Ennoshita. He willed his eyes to explain how stupid he thought Ennoshita was right now. “You have a lot of faith in my ability to….” 

“Yeah, I’m going. Wanna meet up and go together?” Tanaka jumped in. 

Noya hated him even more. Now he’s planning dates with Chikara and leaving him at home alone to wallow in his own misery as he went into another year without having the fucking courage to tell his friend he was in love with him. 

Ennoshita perked up, “Sure! Got something special you need to ask for?” 

Tanaka laughed and rubbed his hands back over his short hair, nervously. “Yeah. Maybe next year I won’t be alone at New Years, if I play my cards right.” 

That was it. Noya felt himself snap. He pushed Tanaka, hard. “The fuck man? You’re not alone. We’re right fucking here, asshole!” 

Ennoshita moved to stand up in case he needed to break up a fight. 

Tanaka’s eyes widened and he pleaded, “No, Noya that’s not what I….”

“Not what you what?! Don’t fucking treat us like we aren’t even here!” Noya was standing now and his hands were balled into fists at his sides. 

Tanaka blushed and rubbed his hands over his head again,this time in agitation and despair. “I meant maybe I’d have somebody to kiss at new years by next year.” 

Noya knew in his heart of hearts that Tanaka hadn’t meant any of that as a slight against him or Chikara. They’d been friends for 6 years and through thick and thin together. Noya and Tanaka had even immediately moved in together after high school. Tanaka didn’t mean it like that. He’d never mean it like that. This was Ryuu we’re talking about here. 

It didn’t matter how much Noya knew this, he couldn’t help it. The nerves, the alcohol, the clock inching towards midnight - everything converged and he couldn’t help it anymore. 

“Why next year? Why not this year, Ryuu? Why...don’t you ever notice me?” Noya yelled. “I’m right here, Ryuu!! I’ve always…” 

Everyone froze. The voice on the TV had started to countdown the final minute. 

Tanaka was a furious shade of red now but finally whispered, “Noya-san?” He looked confused and maybe even hurt.

_Fuck._

_Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._

Noya took a deep breath and as the voice on the TV reached 5, he moved on instinct. He slid down next to Ryuu and all at once the countdown ended, temple bells rang, Chikara yelled Happy New Year and Noya pressed his lips to Ryuu’s. 

Ryuu’s lips were as warm as the rest of him. Noya could taste the beer on them and he knew he should pull back now and make some excuse. Save the friendship. But Ryuu wasn’t resisting and the temple bells were still ringing and clouding his judgement. It was like this moment wasn’t a part of real time. 

Finally Ennoshita let out a whoop and holler and it broke the moment. Time had started again and Noya pulled back. That had sobered him up. 

Ryuu looked shocked, and his mouth hung open. “Noya-san, I…” 

Noya knew things would be different now that this was out in the open, but it didn’t have to mean the end of their friendship. Ryuu wasn’t like that. Noya just had to apologize, so he spit it out, “Sorry, Ryuu. I guess I’m a little drunk.” 

Tanaka was crestfallen. “Oh. Right, drunk.” He rubbed his hands over his head again and finally said, “Yeah, don’t worry about it, man. No big deal.” 

Ennoshita took this as his cue to graciously step out. “Hey, guys. It’s late, I’m gonna head out. See you at Washikura at 10?” he directed towards Tanaka. 

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’ll be there. Thanks Ennoshita,” Tanaka answered. 

“Happy new year, Chikara,” Noya offered lamely. 

“Happy new year, guys.” Ennoshita said one last time as he slipped on his shoes and coat and headed out the door. 

The minutes of the new year ticked away and neither Noya nor Tanaka spoke. 

_Say something, you moron._

The bells finally stopped ringing and Tanaka, mercifully, made the first move. Honest and direct to a fault he cut right to it, “Noya-san, I’m confused. I’m not really sure what happened just now. And you’re pretty drunk so I don’t want to assume things, but um….” he went back to his nervous tick again and rubbed his hands over his head. “I don’t hate you or anything like that.” 

_Tell him. Just fucking tell him._

“I...I’m into you, Ryuu. Sorry,” was all he could muster in the end. 

Tanaka lit up, his grin brightening the room. “You...you’re ‘into’ me? Noya-san, you mean…?” 

Noya looked up and relief flooded over him at Ryuu’s smile. Noya couldn’t look at his smile and not smile himself. It was infectious. “I mean, yeah? I mean, have you seen...you?” 

Tanaka threw his head back in overjoyed laughter, “But I’m not Mr. Orange Haired Sword Boy Monk? Are you sure I’m good enough?” 

Noya reached out and hit Tanaka on the shoulder, but gently this time. It was going to be alright. He didn’t know what was going on, but it was going to be alright. “Come on, man. You’re…” Noya sighed and all the fight from the alcohol left him. “You’re Ryuu.” 

“That is my name, yeah,” Tanaka grinned. “Noya-san, is this like, a confession? I need to know, for reasons.” 

Noya looked at him, “I mean, it is if you want it to be?” 

_Please want it to be._

Tanaka beamed, “Can I kiss you again?” 

“What? Wait…” Noya couldn’t believe what was going on. “Are you, serious?” 

“The most serious I’ve been all night.” 

Noya moved like through a fog. He reached out for Tanaka and slid into his arms as Ryuu settled him on his lap. “For real?” was all he could manage. 

Tanaka just answered by pressing his smile to Noya’s lips. Noya smiled too. It made the kiss awkward, but neither could help their grinning. It made things sloppy, but neither cared. 

Finally they broke apart and just looked at each other, smiling. Then they broke down into laughter together. The beginning of 2019 started a bit rocky, but now it was filled with pure joy. 

“Maybe next year you’ll have somebody to kiss at New Years, Ryuu,” Noya offered through his laughs. 

“Looks like it,” Tanaka laughed. “Man, I don’t have an excuse to dye my hair orange now though, I totally was gonna do that too. Figured that’d finally get your attention.” 

Noya reached up and ran his hands over Ryuu’s short hair. He considered, “I mean, I wouldn’t say no to you with orange hair….” 

“So you’d say yes then?” Tanaka grinned. 

_I’d say yes to anything right now._

“Probably.” Noya stuck his tongue out and they both devolved into laughter again.

**Author's Note:**

> The show they are watching is NHK’s Red & White Song Battle (Kohaku Uta Gassen) which is a long-standing New Years Eve tradition in Japan. Two teams composed of popular music acts perform and a combination of judges, audience votes and tv viewer votes determine the winner. 
> 
> 2018 saw the 69th show and this year the White Team did in fact win. The “swords” mentioned are the Touken Danshi from the Touken Ranbu Musical. They were featured as a special performance this year. Yes, this is my love of 2.5D (anime on stage) seeping in. No, I can’t help it. 
> 
> The “orange haired muscular monk” is the character Iwatooshi. He’s played by the actor Saeki Daichi on stage. I gave Nishinoya good taste, okay? Don’t question me on this. 
> 
> At midnight on the New Year Buddhist temples in Japan ring their bells 108 times. They symbolize 108 human sins and are meant to rid citizens of worldly desires. 
> 
> Washikura is a Shinto Shrine in Sendai. I think this is the location the 3rd years go to during the New Year in the manga. 
> 
> And It’s another 2.5D reference that nobody will understand, but I just have to say that Tanaka’s (recently retired from the role) stage actor, Shiota Kouhei, dyed his hair orange and he looks really good. So now I love the idea of orange haired Tanaka. I’m not even sorry. 
> 
> Also - I don’t know what brought this fic on. Probably too many hours on Twitter over the new year and all the tweets about the Red & White song battle and the Touken Danshi and TouMyu and Kouhei’s orange hair and probably that I love TanaNoya and also now I feel like I did something with 2019 already since I finished a fic. It’s just a random drabble, and I’m sorry for that, but it just kinda happened. ^^


End file.
